We’re so proud of our team! Find out how they’ve been doing, as well as what else has been going on at our gym lately.
It was about halfway through the opening round of their UFC on FOX 27 prelim bout when Mirsad Bektic backed Godofredo Pepey up against the fence and let fly with a straight right hand to the body.
The punch initially just knocked Pepey backward, but a moment later the full extent of the pain registered in his brain and all over his face. The message it conveyed might best be summed up as: We’re done here.
Check it out (via Twitter):
“I TOLD YOU!”
Mirsad Bektic finishes Godofredo Pepey with a vicious liver shot! #UFCCharlotte https://t.co/ja0H9GJvSh
— FOX Sports: UFC (@UFCONFOX) January 28, 2018
This was the beginning of the end for Pepey (13-6 MMA, 5-5 UFC), who collapsed soon afterward and lay on the mat clutching his gut as Bektic (12-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) added just enough follow-up blows for referee Kevin MacDonald to move in and call it off.
By then, Pepey appeared to be beyond caring about defending his face. Such is the effect of a well-placed body shot.
Now presenting Godofredo Pepey in Stages of Body Shot Agony. pic.twitter.com/Kyrez2tpAv
— Ben Fowlkes (@benfowlkesMMA) January 28, 2018
Could be worse. You could be Pepey’s insides.
— Fernanda Prates (@NandaPrates_) January 28, 2018
It’s Bektic’s first win since he wound up on the wrong end of a dramatic comeback victory by Darren Elkins last March. That upset gave Bektic the lone loss on his pro record, so he needed to get back in the win column here against an unconventional and unpredictable striker like Pepey.
Turns out that hammering a guy in the sternum is a good way to slow him down. It might also prove to be a good way of getting a bonus on an otherwise lackluster undercard.
For complete coverage of UFC on FOX 27, check out the UFC Events section of the site.
Charles Oliveira proved he had championship mettle when he battled through some early adversity against Michael Chandler. Oliveira faced Chandler for the vacant lightweight title in the main event of UFC 262 in May 2021. It took “Do Bronx” 28 octagon appearances to earn his first-career title shot. Round...
For Javier Mendez, Islam Makhachev is more skilled than Khabib Nurmagomedov but not more dangerous. Daniel Cormier, who also trained under Mendez at American Kickboxing Academy, said UFC lightweight champion Makhachev is even more dangerous than former champ Nurmagomedov was during his prime. Mendez heavily disagrees. “OK, he’s more...
We want to make sure that Ludus MMA is the right fit for you before asking you to commit to a membership.
That’s why we’d like to offer you a FREE ONE-DAY PASS to our gym.
With your FREE PASS, you can: